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In Our Opinion This Crate Is Perfect For
These Breeds Or Similar Sized
ADULT
DOGS
Afghan, Alaskan
Malamute, Anatolian Shepherd, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bloodhound, Bouvier Des
Flandres, Briard, Bullmastiff, Collie, Doberman Pinscher, Dogue De Bordeaux,
German Shepherd, Giant Schnauzer, Gordon Setter, Greyhound, Komondor, Kuvasz,
Old English Sheepdog, Otterhound, Rottweiler, Samoyed, Siberian Husky,
Weimaraner
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IMPORTANT IF YOUR
PET SHOWS ANY SIGN OF ANXIETY IN THE CRATE USE THESE STEPS UNTIL YOUR PET IS
HAPPY IN THE CRATE.
If An anxious Pet is left un-trained and alone in the cage it could cause
permanent damage to the cage or to your pet
Crate training your dog may take some time and effort, but can be useful in a
variety of situations. If you have a new dog or puppy; you can use the crate to
limit his access to the house until he learns the entire house
rules – like what he can and can’t chew on and where he can and
can’t eliminate. A crate is also a safe way of transporting your dog in
the car, as well as a way of taking him places where he may not be welcome
to run freely. If you properly train your dog to use the crate, he’ll
think of it as his safe place and will be happy to spend time there when
needed.
Selecting
A Crate
Your dog’s crate should be just large enough for him to stand up and
turn around in when full Adult size if the crate is to be used for the
life of your pet
The
Crate Training Process
Crate
training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog’s age,
temperament and past experiences. It’s important to keep two things in
mind while crate training. The crate should always be associated with
something pleasant, and training should take place in a series of small
steps - don’t go too fast, as this can cause anxiety in you pet and an
overall fear and dislike of the new crate.
Step 1: Introducing Your Dog To The Crate
Put
the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time,
such as the family room.
Put
a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Bring your dog over to the crate and
talk to him in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is securely
fastened opened so it won’t hit your dog and frighten him.
To
encourage your dog to enter the crate, drop some small food treats near
it, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate.
If he refuses to go all the way in at first, that’s okay – don’t
force him to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog
will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If he isn’t
interested in treats, try tossing a favourite toy in the crate. This step
may take a few minutes or as long as several days.
Step 2: Feeding Your Dog His Meals In The Crate
After
introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding him his regular meals
near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If
your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, put the food
dish all the way at the back of the crate. If your dog is still reluctant
to enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as he will readily go
without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed him, place the
dish a little further back in the crate.
Once
your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat his meal, you can
close the door while he’s eating. At first, open the door as soon as he
finishes his meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a
few minutes longer, until he’s staying in the crate for ten minutes or
so after eating. If he begins to whine to be let out, you may have
increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving him in
the crate for a shorter time period. If he does whine or cry in the crate,
it’s imperative that you not let him out until he stops. Otherwise,
he’ll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so he’ll
keep doing it.
Step
3: Conditioning Your Dog For Longer Time Periods
After
your dog is eating his regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or
anxiety, you can confine him there for short time periods while you’re
home. Call him over to the crate and give him a treat. Give him a command
to enter such as, "kennel up." Encourage him by pointing to the
inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the
crate, praise him, give him the treat and close the door. Sit quietly near
the crate for five to ten minutes and then go into another room for a few
minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time, then let him out of
the crate. Repeat this process several times a day.
With each repetition,
gradually
increase the length of time you leave him in the crate and the length of
time you’re out of his sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the
crate for about 30 minutes with you out of sight the majority of the time,
you can begin leaving him crated when you’re gone for short time periods
and/or letting him sleep there at night. This may take several days or
several weeks
Step
4: Crating Your Dog When Left Alone:
After
your dog is spending about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming
anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving him crated for short periods when
you leave the house. Put him in the crate using your regular command and a
treat. You might also want to leave him with a few safe toys in the crate.
You’ll want to vary at what point in your "getting ready to
leave" routine you put your dog in the crate. Although he shouldn’t
be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate him anywhere
from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving.
Don’t make your departures emotional and prolonged, but matter-of-fact.
Praise your dog briefly, give him a treat for entering the crate and then
leave quietly. When you return home, don’t reward your dog for excited
behaviour by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep
arrivals low key. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time
to time when you’re home so he doesn’t associate crating with being
left alone.
Part
5: Crating Your Dog At Night:
Put
your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially,
it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a
hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside
to eliminate during the night, and you’ll want to be able to hear your
puppy when he whines to be let outside. Older dogs, too, should initially
be kept nearby so that crating doesn’t become associated with social
isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with
his crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you
prefer.
Potential
Problems Too Much Time In The Crate
A crate isn’t a magical solution. If not used correctly, a dog can feel
trapped and frustrated. For example, if your dog is crated all day while
you’re at work and then crated again all night, he’s spending too much
time in too small a space. Other arrangements should be made to
accommodate his physical and emotional needs. Also remember that puppies
under six months of age shouldn’t stay in a crate for more than three or
four hours at a time.
Whining
If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be
difficult to decide whether he’s whining
to
be let out of the crate, or whether he needs to be let outside to
eliminate. If you followed the training procedures outlined above, your
dog hasn’t been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from
his crate.
Try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, he’ll
probably stop whining soon. Yelling at him or pounding on the crate will
only make things worse. If the whining continues after you’ve ignored
him for several minutes, use the phrase he associates with going outside
to eliminate. If he responds and becomes excited, take him outside. This
should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you’re convinced that
your dog doesn’t need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore him
until he stops whining. Don’t give in, otherwise you’ll teach your dog
to whine loud and long to get what he wants. If you’ve progressed
gradually through the training steps and haven’t done too much too fast,
you’ll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes
unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again.
Separation
Anxiety
Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won’t
solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive,
but he may injure himself or damage the crate in an attempt to escape from
the crate.
Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counter-conditioning
and desensitization procedures.
You
may want to consult a professional animal behaviorist for help or try your
self, with our help chapter below.
Dogs
with separation anxiety exhibit behavior problems when they’re left
alone. Typically, they’ll have a dramatic anxiety response within a
short time (20-45 minutes) after their owners leave them. The most common
of these behaviors are:
Digging,
chewing and scratching at doors or windows in an attempt to escape and
reunite with their owners.
Howling,
barking and crying in an attempt to get their owner to return.
Urination
and defecation (even with housetrained dogs), as a result of distress.
Why Do Dogs Suffer From
Separation Anxiety?
We don’t fully understand exactly why some dogs suffer from separation
anxiety and, under similar circumstances, others don’t. It’s important
to realize, however, that the destruction and house soiling that often
occurs with separation anxiety is not the dog’s attempt to punish or
seek revenge on his owner for leaving him alone, but is actually a panic
response, not unlike a Human Panic Attack
Separation anxiety sometimes occurs when:
1.
Dog has never or rarely been left alone.
2.
Following
a long interval, such as a vacation, during which the owner and dog are
constantly together.
3.
After
a traumatic event (from the dog’s point of view) such as a period of
time spent at a shelter or
boarding kennel.
4.
After
a change in the family’s routine or structure (a child leaving for
college, a change in work schedule, a move to a new home, a new pet or
person in the home).
What
To Do If Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety
For a minor separation anxiety problem, the following techniques may be
helpful by themselves.
Keep arrivals and departures low-key. For example, when you arrive home,
ignore your dog for the first few minutes, and then calmly pet him.
Leave your dog with an article of clothing that smells like you, an old
tee shirt that you’ve slept in recently, for example.
Establish
a "safety cue"--a word or action that you use every time
you leave that tells your dog you’ll be back. Dogs usually learn to
associate certain cues with short absences by their owners. For example,
when you take out the Rubbish, your dog knows you come right back and
doesn't become anxious. Therefore, it’s helpful to associate a safety
cue with your practice departures and short-duration absences.
Some examples of safety cues are: a playing radio; a playing television; a
bone; or a toy (one that doesn’t have dangerous fillings and can’t be
torn into pieces). Use your safety cue during practice sessions, but
don’t present your dog with the safety cue when you leave for a period
of time longer than he can tolerate or the value of the safety cue will be
lost. Leaving a radio on to provide company for your dog isn’t
particularly useful by itself, but a playing radio may work if you’ve
used it consistently as a safety cue in your practice sessions. If your
dog engages in destructive chewing as part of his separation distress,
offering him a chewing item as a safety cue is a good idea. Very hard
rubber toys that can be stuffed with treat and Rope toys.
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